Folding mechanism



y 8, 1934. H. FANKBONER 1,957,880

FOLDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 25, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l May 8, 1934. H. FANKBONER FOLDING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1952 INVENTOR miw mw May 8, 1934. H. FANKBONER 1,957,880

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII M Patented May 8, 1934 FOLDING MECHANISM Harland Fankboner, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Goss Printing Press Company,

Chicago, Ill.,

a corporation of Illinois Application February 25, 1932, Serial No. 595,080

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to folding mechanism and more particularly to a novel and improved jaw or gripper for high speed rotary folding mechanisms.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary end view of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a jaw or gripper mechanism for high speed rotary folding mechanisms which is very smooth in its action and can be satisfactorily operated at unusually high speeds. A further object is the provision of a folding jaw mechanism which. has a very low initial friction and is easily operated. Still another object is the provision of an improved folding jaw mechanism in which the spring pressure does not buildup appreciably as the jaw is opened.

In accordance with the present embodiment of the invention, the mechanism comprises a jaw or gripper oscillatably mounted in a gap in the surface of the folding cylinder by means of a jaw shaft and moved to closed position by means of a relatively long spring or springs coiled about a second shaft, geared to the first shaft. Phe spring is preferably so positioned that the centrifugal forces created at high speeds do not influence the operation of the spring. The jaw or gripper opening mechanism comprises a lever oscillatably mounted on the cylinder on the end of one of the shafts. Preferably and as embodied, the jaw and lever shafts are mounted in suitable anti-friction bearings, thereby reducing both the starting friction and the amount of power required to operate the jaws to a minimum, at the same time permitting increased speed of operation.

While the invention is specifically illustrated in connection with a folding jaw, it is equally applicable to gripper mechanism and other folding cylinder parts requiring similar movement, and the term jaw as employed herein is intended to include gripper mechanism.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the illustrative embodiment of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings, the folding cylinder proper is,

for the most part, of conventional construction and is provided with one or more gaps 11 in its periphery, in which gaps are mounted the folding jaws. In each of these gaps is provided a jaw shaft 12, extending from one end of the cylinder to the other and closely adjacent to the periphery of the cylinder, said shaft being oscillatably journalled in the end walls 13 and central bosses 14 by means of roller bearings reduce the initial friction of the jaw. Jaw shaf 12 is held against endwise movement in the cylinder by means of collar 16 at one of its ends, and by the actuating lever 17 at its other end.

The folding jaw comprises a plurality of indi- 15, which serve to vidual sections 18, each of which includes a split 51';

collar portion 19, tightly clamped on shaft 12 by means of screw'20, and provided with an outwardly projecting jaw portion 21 formed as an integral part of the collar. These jaw portions are substantially alincd axially of the cylinder so that they will contact evenly with the stationary jaw face 22. Certain of the jaw sections 18 are provided with overhanging, or axially extending, faces 23 of greater width than the collar portion,

so that the collars may be spaced from each other {it without interfering with the substantial continuity of the jaw face.

Means are provided for moving the jaw members to sheet receiving or open position and for this purpose, the provided at one end of the folding jaw shaft. As embodied, the jaw operating lever 1'? is clamped to one end of the shaft 12, externally of the folding cylinder, by means of screw 24, and is securely held against relative movement with respect to shaft 12 by means of key 25. At its outer end, lever 17 is provided with a cam roller 25 to run in the usual folding-cylinder jawoperating cam track (not shown) mounted on the press frame. Lever 17 is also provided with a usual jaw-operating arm is Ill 3 of roller bearing 39.

slotted portion 26, to fit over stud 2'7 projecting outwardly from the folding cylinder.

Resilient means, exerting a substantially constant force throughout the entire normal range of movement, and so positioned that these means are not influenced by centrifugal force created at relatively high speeds, are provided for moving the movable folding jaws 21 against the stationary jaw 22, to grip the sheet or sheets between them. For this purpose, a second shaft 30 is provided, oscillatably mounted in the folding cylinder and extending parallel to the jaw shaft 12. In the embodied form, shaft 30 is oscillatably journalled by means of roller bearings 31 at its ends, which bearings are supported in members 32 fastened to the end walls 13 of the folding cylinder, and held against endwise movement by means of the collars 33 pinned to said shaft. Intermediate its ends, a long spring 34 is coiled about said shaft 30, and one end of the spring is fastened to collar 35 held against rotation with respect to the shaft by means of pin 36 and key 37. The other end of spring 34 is securely held in collar 38 which is rotatably mounted on shaft 30 by means Collar 38 may be rotated relative to said shaft 30 and is secured in any desired position, to vary the tension of the spring 34, by means of a threaded pin 40 which projects into any one of several radial apertures 41 in said collar. Collar 38 is mounted in a bushing 42 surrounding said shaft and supported on the central portion 43 of the cylinder. By withdrawing pin 40, collar 38 may be turned in either direction to vary the tension of spring.

At either end of the spring 34, and closely adjacent to the ends of the spring shaft 30, is provided a segmental pinion 45, slotted and clamped on said shaft by means of clamping screw 46 and also keyed to said shaft to prevent relative movement. Pinions 45 mesh with other segmental pinions 47 mounted on jaw shaft 12 and clamped and keyed thereto. The tension of spring 34 is thus transmitted to the jaws on shaft 12, serving to move the jaws 21 towards the stationary jaw 22 after opening by lever 17.

Means are also provided for minutely angularly moving certain of the individual movable jaw sections so that irregularities and torsional twist of the jaw shaft 12 may be compensated for. For this purpose, segmental pinions 47 are provided with outwardly extending lugs 48, in the outer ends of which are threaded small screws 49 to contact with the rear of the individual jaw members 21. Screws 49 are also provided with check-nuts 50 by which they may be securely locked in the desired position after correct oper ation of the jaw has been attained. These means may be provided for each of the individual jaw members, but in general they will be required only for the outer page sections of the folding cylinder. For minutely moving the jaw sections which are not adjacent to the segmental pinions 47, other similar members 52, not provided with a toothed portion, may be provided.

In operation, the long coiled spring 34 gives a smooth uniform tension which is not appreciably increased at the end of the movement of the jaws or grippers to open position, and this together with the lessened initial or starting friction of the jaws or grippers and other improvements makes possible the greatly increased speed and smoothness of operation which can be attained by the use of the present invention.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

. What I claim is:

1. A jaw construction for folding mechanisms including in combination a stationary jaw, a jaw shaft on which are mounted movable jaw members, roller bearings for said shaft, a relatively long spring of a length sufficient to prevent sub stantial increase in its tension throughout its normal range of movement and a second shaft connected with said jaw shaft and about which said spring is coiled.

2. A jaw mechanism including in combination a stationary jaw, individual jaw members mounted on an oscillatable jaw shaft and movable thereon, and means for minutely angularly moving said jaw members on said shaft.

3. A jaw mechanism including in combination a stationary jaw, individual jaw members mounted on an oscillatable jaw shaft and movable thereon, means for holding said individual jaw members against movement on the shaft and means for minutely moving said jaw members on said shaft.

4. A jaw mechanism including in combination a stationary jaw, individual jaw members mounted on an oscillatable jaw shaft, means for holding said individual jaw members against movement of the shaft, and screw means for individually and minutely angularly moving said jaw members on said shaft.

5. A jaw mechanism including in combination a stationary jaw, a movable jaw comprising individual jaw members mounted on an oscillatable shaft adjacent to said stationary jaw, means for minutely angularly moving said jaw members on said shaft, a second shaft, a relatively long spring coiled about said second shaft, means for vari ably tensioning said spring, gearing for interconnecting said shafts to close the jaws by said spring, and anti-friction bearings for said shafts.

HARLAND FANKBONER. 

